US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday (11 September) he would visit Macedonia before the 30 September referendum on changing the country's name, also expressing concern about suspected Russian interference in the vote, which Moscow denies.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said on Thursday (26 July) that the question of holding a referendum in eastern Ukraine was touched upon at a meeting of representatives of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine in Berlin, the RIA news agency reported.

Two wealthy northern regions in Italy voted on Sunday (22 October) in favour of having increased independence from Rome, in a non-binding referendum that set the stage for negotiations on more autonomy with the central government.

Two wealthy regions of northern Italy voted overwhelmingly yesterday (22 October) for greater autonomy in referendums that could fan regional tensions in Europe at a time when Spain is striving to prevent Catalonia from breaking away.

Iraq and Turkey yesterday (14 September) stepped up the pressure on Iraqi Kurdistan over its planned independence referendum, as the governor of oil-rich Kirkuk province that decided to take part in the vote was sacked.

Italy's central bank warned today (31 May) that leaving the eurozone would not solve the country's economic problems, as two major parties campaign to drop the common currency before an election that may come as soon as this autumn.

Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker sees no need for “contingency planning” regarding the French presidential election, as the EU is strong enough to survive even if the Eurosceptic candidate wins, his spokesperson said today (21 April).

British Prime Minister Theresa May admitted today the UK would both lose influence and not be able to ‘cherry pick’ the advantages of EU membership, as she briefed MPs in London on the two years of unprecedented negotiations with Brussels ahead.

Prime Minister Theresa May declared the start of two years of Brexit negotiations today (17 January) with a landmark speech setting out the UK’s 12 priorities, including leaving the single market, a new negotiation on the EU customs union and a parliament vote on any final deal.

European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans told Denmark's leaders yesterday (27 September) that they would not get the cross-border policing deal they have been seeking since Danes voted in a referendum to quit Europol.

The President of Azerbaijan said his country has never been stronger, more free and independent, in a speech following a referendum on constitutional reform held on Monday (26 September) and backed by over 91% of the population.

The Italian-speaking Swiss canton of Ticino voted decisively yesterday (25 September) in favour of tougher controls on foreign workers. The European Commission deplored this development, which arrives at a time when a solution is sought to keep alive the EU-Switzerland Free Movement of Persons agreement.

Azerbaijanis went to the polls today (26 September) in a controversial referendum on handing extra powers to long-serving President Ilham Aliyev, with opposition and human rights groups criticising the proposed constitutional changes as undemocratic.

Against the backdrop of the “fundamental transformation of the world of work”, Commissioner for Employment Marianne Thyssen is paying close attention to “free money” experiments ahead of a discussion next year with member states on how to improve social policies.

Hungarian satirists are lampooning anti-immigration Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government, less than a month before a referendum is expected to reject the EU's troubled mandatory migrant relocation scheme.